SEC News Digest

Issue 2009-227
November 27, 2009

COMMISSION ANNOUNCEMENTS

Commission Meetings

Closed Meeting - Thursday, December 3, 2009 - 2:00 p.m.

The subject matter of the Closed Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 3, 2009 will be: institution and settlement of injunctive actions; institution and settlement of administrative proceedings; adjudicatory matter; and other matters relating to enforcement proceedings.

At times, changes in Commission priorities require alterations in the scheduling of meeting items. For further information and to ascertain what, if any, matters have been added, deleted or postponed, please contact: The Office of the Secretary at (202) 551-5400.

INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT RELEASES

Orders of Deregistration Under the Investment Company Act of 1940

Orders have been issued under Section 8(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 declaring that each of the following has ceased to be an investment company:

MFS Government Markets Income Trust, et al.

An order has been issued on an application filed by MFS Government Markets Income Trust, et al. under Section 6(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Act) for an exemption from Section 19(b) of the Act and Rule 19b-1 under the Act. The order permits certain registered closed-end management investment companies to make periodic distributions of long-term capital gains (i) with respect to their common stock as part of a managed distribution plan as frequently as twelve times each year, and (ii) with respect to their preferred stock as frequently as required by the terms of such preferred stock. (IC-29063 - November 24)

SELF-REGULATORY ORGANIZATIONS

Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Changes

A proposed rule change (SR-BX-2009-076) filed by NASDAQ OMX BX extending the effective date of the rule governing the Exchange's directed order process on the Boston Options Exchange has become effective under Section 19(b)(3)(A) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Publication is expected in the Federal Register during the week of November 30. (Rel. 34-61065)

A proposed rule change filed by NASDAQ OMX PHLX (SR-Phlx-2009-98) to allow tied hedge transactions has become effective under Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Publication is expected in the Federal Register during the week of November 30. (Rel. 34-61066)

Proposed Rule Change

The Commission has published notice of a proposed rule change (FINRA-2009-072), filed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, to amend Rule 12307 of the Code of Arbitration for Customer Disputes and Rule 13307 of the Code of Arbitration for Industry Disputes to clarify the date of filing of an arbitration claim once a deficiency is corrected. Publication is expected in the Federal Register during the week of November 30. (Rel. 34-61060)

Approval of Proposed Rule Changes

The Commission approved a proposed rule change filed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, (SR-FINRA-2009-066), pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, to adopt FINRA Rule 2251 (Forwarding of Proxy and Other Issuer-Related Materials) in the Consolidated FINRA Rulebook. Publication of the approval order is expected to appear in the Federal Register during the week of November 30. (Rel. 34-61052)

The Commission partially approved a proposed rule change submitted by NYSE Arca, (SR-NYSEArca-2009-44), as modified by Amendment No. 4 thereto, expanding the Penny Pilot Program. Publication is expected in the Federal Register during the week of November 30. (Rel. 34-61061)